“The visitors came to Stephen’s yard one otherwise ordinary summer night.” The visitors appear to be Dalmatians, but these are no ordinary canines. For one thing, their spots are bright green. For another, they arrived via spaceship. When Stephen (white) turns on the porch light to investigate, one visitor is left behind as the others flee. Stephen invites him inside. It being the middle of the night, they head up to Stephen’s bedroom—and immediately disagree on the sleeping arrangements. (They compromise by sharing the bed.) Stephen’s expectations are upended the next morning at breakfast (the visitor turns his nose up at dog food) and on their walk (the visitor resents the leash and prefers to walk upright on two legs). As the day progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that the visitor is unlike any dog Stephen has ever encountered. He enjoys Stephen’s account of local history. He likes learning about local plant and animal life. And he can’t imagine doing his business in front of everyone at the dog park. When the visitor’s crewmates return for him, he goes, but as he and Stephen lie awake in their respective beds that night, it becomes increasingly clear that the Dalmartian has found a new home. Ink and charcoal illustrations comedically depict Stephen’s and the visitor’s initial awkwardness and confusion around one another in a story that deftly balances humor with growing friendship and connection.

From the bestselling creator of Stumpkin and Vampenguin comes a whimsical picture book about the unexpected friendship that blooms between a boy and a dog of intergalactic origins.

A visitor from outer space comes to Stephen’s yard one night. It may look like a Dalmatian, but it certainly doesn’t act like one. At first, Stephen and the visitor get off on the wrong paw. They quibble over kibble, debate sleeping arrangements, and must abandon earth dogs’ approach to bathroom breaks altogether to keep the peace. Is a shared love of bacon a strong enough foundation for this ordinary earth boy and extraordinary out-of-this-world canine to learn to live in harmony?